Who is homeschooling this year?

[Woodland Woman]

When do you start your school year?

Is this your first year?

What are your goals?

Are you doing anything different or special?

I am homeschooling for my 12th year. We are starting Monday Aug. 18th. This year I intend to go on more fieldtrips. I like to finish school daily by noon. We are going to memorize scripture. I intend to enjoy my children more while they are young because they grow up before you know it.

 

[heatherv]

We are! This is our first year.

Our year started in January, and runs through the summer. We'll take a break in the fall, and continue through the winter.

I'd like to do more field trips in the winter, but w/ the weather that never seems to work out how we plan. Plus w/ gas this year, not sure if we'll have many opportunities. In November we are lucky enough to have a conference down in Detroit, so I am taking the kids to the wonderful places (Detroit Institute of Art, Henry Ford Museum) I went to as a kid.

I'd love to have our school day finished by noon! But that won't work for the 8yo (w/ autism) he goes his own pace, so sometimes he wants to do work after dinner, sometimes at 9:30 at night. If we force him to do it at our schedule/pace, he butts heads w/ us and doesn't learn as much. If he does it at his pace he absorbs everything, and remembers it. So it makes for long days for me, but it's best for him.

Before the season changes, I'd like them to start their nature journals, we made them in the spring and we got so sidetracked w/ lessons we didn't take the time to work on them. Then I forgot all about 'em! I guess I'd better pull them out! Guess what we're doing today! I guess that's my only goal for now. We'll think about next years (January) when we get closer to that point.

Children do grow up too fast! For us, one of the best things about homeschooling them is we don't have to miss out on the majority of their awake time during the day.

 

[patandchickens]

I'm not really homeschooling as such, but my 4 yr old is probably just about the only kid his age who will not be going to 'optional' Jr Kindergarten this fall. I guess I need to find some sort of group activity type thing to sign him up for at some point (tumbling, or swimming, or something) and start trying to find him some kids to play with on a semi-regular basis, sigh (we live well outside of town). He doesn't need academics, he just needs to be a kid, but he needs more chances to be a kid *with other kids*.

JK will be mandatory (and all day every day, too! sheesh) by the time my now-1-yr-old is that age so I suspect I will 'officially' be homeschooling him for that. I have a problem with a world in which 'kindergarten' and 'homeschooling' have to be used int he same sentence


Pat

 

[Woodland Woman]

heatherv I like the idea of taking a break in the fall, that's my favorite season! Unfortunately my kids would rather do school when their friends are but we don't follow them exactly. One of my children has the tendency to take a long time to get her schoolwork done but we have been working on that and she is much better now. I like the idea of nature journals. How do you do that?

patandchickens I agree with you about letting kids be kids. There are so many ways to teach our kids and just spending time and doing things with them makes a big difference. Is your state mandating JK?

 

[patandchickens]

patandchickens I agree with you about letting kids be kids. There are so many ways to teach our kids and just spending time and doing things with them makes a big difference. Is your state mandating JK?

Well, the province (Ontario), yes. I'm not sure when it starts but it will be in force by the time John hits that age. Sigh.


Pat

 

[heatherv]

Fall is my favorite season as well!

Here's 1 example of a nature journal. The author of that blog writes: "Every nature journal is different, reflecting the interests, talents, and abilities of the author."

We made homemade journals, though you can use anything! We took drawing paper, mixed w/ construction paper, and mixed in some zip loc bags and bound them together with their own personal designed covers. One of the covers also has a pocket to keep writing paper, and pens/pencils in. The ziplocs are to collect things (leaves, twigs, feathers, bark, etc.etc.etc.) One the paper they can draw what they see, or made an artistic interpretation of what they see (my daughter loves colors). If they find something interesting on their walk, we can take photos and can add printed out photos later, but while there youobserve and draw it (leaf, tree, insect, bird, whatever they want) and then study and learn about it later. We have a few field guides for our area that are wonderful resources for things we find. So these may go along w/ us on walks. They can write observations of what they see on their notepad... which can be a writing lesson, or get spelling words from things you see. They can write poems or songs in their journals. The journals can go as far as your imagination will let you. They can be used for any plants they've planted, and can chart and draw growth changes, or keep track of weather patterns. If you're studying a specific topic (say birds) the journal can be tool for that as well. I won't use ours for specific lessons right now, just want them to get comfortable using them, and know that they're fun. So they don't feel like they're a chore or anything.

Hope this helped!

I believe our state is making kindergarten mandatory now. Not sure when that begins.

 

[Chirpy]

This is our 12th year of Home Schooling also. It's also my first year with our oldest going off to college in two weeks. I miss him already - the whole family dynamics are going to change with him gone. Our youngest two (4 yr. olds) will really, really miss him. Thankfully, we have two other teenage boys to play with them in that "older" brother way.

We've loved Home Schooling every year. There has been times when I'm sure I failed as their teacher and yet, I'm so proud of them and who they each are. They have learned far more valuable things than all the Capitals of each State. They have strong friendships with kids their ages and yet, they can easily play with babies and toddlers or sit and talk with adults and "old" people. They know what's important in life ... God, people and relationships. They know how "rich" we are even though we don't have much money. We are a very close family with all our children getting along wonderfully (there's always an occasional spat but that, too, is life and learning and worked through quickly).

We are starting Aug. 25th this year. We usually start a week before that but we will be getting our son moved into college the week before with an orientation day that we need to attend.

We are pretty eclectic in our learning, lots of hands-on, learning life stuff besides the typical book work. I have three special needs children (two of whom are in school) so our days of learning revolve around them much of the time. My goals have been to teach my special needs children to read. If they can read they have a chance at a 'normal' life in their future. My oldest special needs daughter is reading two grade levels above her grade! I have high hopes for my 7 yr. old special needs daughter also. Our other children are doing great - learning in their own different styles.

That's one of the many things I love about Home Schooling. I have a daughter who learns best by reading. I have another child who learns best by doing. At home they can each learn in their best way and in their own time.

 

[farm_mom]

My children are 4 and 2, but we plan to homeschool as well. My daughter is severly anaphylactic to peanuts/tree nuts (so much so that she can react to peanut butter on other people's breath) and my son is an active, hands on learner (much like his father) whom I am afraid they will want to drug if I put him in the system. But beyond those reasons, we just feel a more child-lead, hands on, somewhat unschool approach to learning works best for our family.

 

[the simple life]

Farmschool Mom, thats definitely a good reason for homeschooling, that is a scary allergy for your family, sorry.
I think homeschooling is great for hands on learners who would otherwise be bored at school and not do as well as they could.

Are you guys talking about making kindergarten or preschool mandatory?
Kindergarten has been mandatory in our state for 35 years now, but haven't heard too much about the preschool being mandatory yet.
They are however pushing a full day kindergarten to be mandatory.
Seems like a long day for a 5 year old in my opinion.
Thats another good reason for homeschooling, it feels like you don't have enough time with them as it is when they have to be sent off to school so young.

 

[heatherv]

. My daughter is severly anaphylactic to peanuts/tree nuts (so much so that she can react to peanut butter on other people's breath) and my son is an active, hands on learner (much like his father) whom I am afraid they will want to drug if I put him in the system.

Two of mine are allergic to nuts.. and was a hassle/pain it was each year educating the teachers and staff on how to keep them safe.... then to have idiot teachers who just don't think it's a real threat and then have to rush a child to the E.R. (two times in one week) b/c of such idiot teachers. I'm not knocking all teachers.. I have some best friends who are teachers. It's just the ones who don't care and think they're opinion is sound medical advice.
To walk into the lunchroom and see a child sitting next to my daughter at the "nut free" zoned table, with a PBJ on their tray and putting their hands on my daughters tray.. well.. that was enough! I sat in that school all day for 3 months to train and retrain and make sure everybody knew the severity of nut allergies (this school had never experienced a nut allergy prior to my chlidren) then a week later is when I came into the lunch room and found the kid sitting next to my duaghter w/ a PBJ. You learn very quickly to not trust other people when it comes to your child's life. The incident w/ the teacher (above mentioned) was in the same school w/ my son, in the classroom (classroom parties are awful.. and almost weekly)

Using whichever curriculum works best for your individual children is SOOO wonderful when it comes to kids who need hands one! What a difference it makes!